In an announcement on the State Capitol steps, Hobson, 56, outlined a platform very similar to the former Alabama chief justice’s Senate campaign last year, with an emphasis on military spending, opposition to abortion and LGBT rights and loyalty to President Donald Trump and his agenda, particularly on immigration.

“The president also believes in a safer and stronger America, but he can’t do it on his own,” said Hobson, surrounded by family members and some veterans of Moore’s campaign, where Hobson served as manager. “We need congressmen who will work with him, not against him.”

In a statement, Torrie Matous, a Roby campaign spokeswoman, said in the face of Democratic energy going into the 2018 midterms,it was "critical to nominate a responsible conservative who can keep this vital seat in Republicans' hands."

"From her work on behalf of our veterans and the military — including her recent efforts to help bring the F-35 mission to Montgomery — to her support of Alabama’s farmers, Martha Roby is the clear conservative choice for this seat,” the statement said.

The four-term congresswoman is also facing a challenge from Rep. Barry Moore, R-Enterprise, in the GOP primary.

Roby publicly broke with Trump prior to the 2016 election after audio emerged of the then-GOP presidential nominee bragging about groping women. After pulling in less than 50 percent of the vote that November — as Trump won Alabama by 28 points — she has spent the past year mending fences with the administration and, like the rest of the state’s Republican House delegation, has been a consistent vote for his agenda.

Hobson is a longtime Moore associate who served as director of his court administration in the former chief justice’s terms in office. The Moore campaign was rocked by allegations of sexual abuse, harassment and misconduct against Moore. Hobson claimed at his announcement that the “liberal elite in America pulled off the biggest political assassination of our time,” and said Moore’s accusers should “come clean.”

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Two of Moore’s accusers said they would testify under oath. Moore never said if he would.

While surveys generally suggest Trump remains popular in Alabama — and even more so with Alabama Republicans — his efforts in last year’s Senate race proved ineffective. The president first backed incumbent Sen. Luther Strange in the GOP primary and runoff. After Strange lost to Moore, Trump threw his weight behind Moore, even as other Republicans backed away following the allegations. Moore ended up losing to former U.S. Attorney Doug Jones, who was sworn in as senator Wednesday.

Hobson lives in Montgomery with his wife Susie. They have two children and two grandchildren.

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